Casting mechanism for typographic machines



' June 12, 1923. 1,458,659

F. w. LETSCH CASTING MECHANISM FOR TYPOGRAPHIC MACHINES Fil ed May 25 1920 Patented June 12, .1923.

UNHTED STATES FREDERICK W. LETSCH, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

CASTING MECHANISM FOR TYPOGRAPEIC MACHINES.

Application filed May 25,

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FREDERICK WV. Larson,

- a citizen-0f the United States. and residing at Baltimore city, Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Casting Mechanism for Typographic Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to typographic machines of the kind in which a series of ma trices are assembled to form a line and are placed adjacent a mold into which molten metal is pro ected for the purpose of casting a slug or linotype containing on its edgeth'e characters appearing on the assembled matrices. The invention relates particularly to certain improvements in the casting mechanism employed. in such machines.

In machines of this character it frequently happens that the slugs or linotypes contain numerous cavities or blow holes which weaken the material to such anextent that they are sometimes broken down or rushed while being used. Such defects are caused principally by the trapping of air in the casting space of the mold. The presentinvention' aims to overcome the foregoing difficulties by providing a special arrangement for injecting the metal into the mold and by providing means for-the escape of air during the operation of casting the slugs or linotypes so that they will be substantially free from cavities or blow holes and will be suflicien'tly compact and solid throughout to withstand not only the usual pressures to which such devices are subjected but sufficiently strong to permit their use in an ordinary printing press.

The invention is set forth in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a sectional view showing the outlet or mouth portion of a pot for containing the molten metal and also a sectional view of certain of the parts attached to the pot and forming the'mouth piece through which the metal is forced into the mold;

Figure 2 is a sectional view similar to Figure 1 of a portion of'themechanism illustrated in said figure. the section being taken on a different plane than. that of Figure 1;

Fi ure 3 is a front elevational view of a .mout piece which is attached to the pot and through which the molten metal is projected into the mold; and

1920. Serial No. 384,131.

Figure 1 is a view in elevation of the filler block which is mounted in a recess and forms a part of the mouth piece illustrated in Figure 3.

Referring to the drawings in detail 10 represents a' portion of the pot which is adapted to contain the molten metal from which the slugs or linotypes are to be cast. This pot is movable toward and from the mold in the usual manner and the same is provided with a narrow throat or outlet 11 through.

which the molten metal is forcibly delivered into the mold by means of a plunger 10 which reciprocates in a well 1O formed in the pot, these parts being the same as those commonly employed in machines of this character.

The mold which ma also be of any desired type maybe ma e of one piece or if desired may consist'of a lower jaw 12 and an upper jaw 13 between which there is provided a molding cavity or slot 14 in which'the slugs or linotypes are cast. The matrices illustrated at 15 are positioned and held adjacent the mold by suitable mechanism which has no relation to the present invention and which it is deemed unnecessary to show or describe.

A nipple plate 16 is arranged adjacent the mold jaws 12 and 13 and between the same and the pot 10. The nipple plate 16 is cut out as at 17 to provide a recess having inclined walls and at the bottom of said recess there is provided a narrow slot 16 which is positioned adjacent the molding cavity or slot 14 between the jaws 12 and 13 when the parts are in the position to cast a slug or linotype. The use of a nipple plate such as the plate 16 is not essential to the invention which may be embodied in various constructions in which no such plate is employed.

The outlet or mouth portion of the pot is preferably constructed in the following manner. A triangular mouth piece 18 is secured to the pot 10 by means of a clamp plate 19 the parts being so arranged that the mouth piece 18 will enter the cut out ortion 1'? of the nipple plate 16 and closoy contact with the inclined walls thereof as the pot is moved toward the mold. The mouth piece 18 is provided with a narrow slot 18 which lies opposite the slot 16 of the nipple plate 16 during the molding operation. The mouth piece 18 is also provided with a triangular recess 18 in which a triangular filler block 20 is mounted, this block being width of the throat 11 of the pot 10. The

ribs gradually diminish in height, and increase in width toward their upper ends Where their height is substantially equal to the width of the slot'18 formed in the mouth piece 18.

ribs 21 and also the spaces between the end ribs and the adjacent walls of the recess 18 of the mouth piece 18 form a continuation of the outlet 11 of the pot. It will be seen that when the partsare assembled as shown in Figure 1, molten metal from the outlet 11 can pass through said spaces and then through the slot 18 of the mouth piece and the slot 16 of the nipple plate into the molding cavity 14 between the mold jaws 12 and 13. u

On its rear face the filler block 20 is pro-' vided with a recess 22 which when the parts are assembled is located opposite a channel 23 formed in the pot 10 which channel extends through the wall ofthe pot and com municates with the interior thereof. The tiller block 20 is also provided with a series of channels or passages 24 which extend from the recess 22 to the front or apex of the triangular filler block 20, the "front. end

of these passages being arranged in the upper ends ofthe triangular ribs 21 heretofore described. It will be understood that these passagesat their front ends communicate with the slot 18 of the mouth piece 18 and at their rear-open into the recess 22 in the rear of the filler block 20 and it will be noted that the ribs 21 extend a slight distance on each side of the front openings ofthe passages 24 as shown at 24 in Figure 4 of the drawing.

While it is preferred to make the mouth piece of two parts 18 and 20 as shown so as to simplify the construction of certain parts such as the ribs 21 and the openings 24, it is apparent that the mouth piece may be made of a single piece suitably formed to contain the various features of construction included in the parts 18 and 20. It is also apparent that mouth pieces of different configuration from that shown may be employed and so constructed as to embody the various features referred to, or the pot itself may be shaped to rovide a mouth portion containin' these eatures.

riefly referring to the operation of the The spaces between the line of matrices is placed in position against the mold and'a-fter the pot 10 is moved into position against the nipple plate 16 or against the mold, if no such plate is employed, the plunger 10 will be operated by suitable mechanism not shown and will cause the molten metal to be forcibly projected through the throat or outlet 11 and through the spaces on both sides of the ribs 21 of the filler. block 20 and finally through the slots 18 of the mouth piece and 16 of the nipple plate into the molding cavity 14 between the moldjaws 12 and 13. The wedge shaped ribs 21 will cause the metal to enter the molding cavity 14 in a series of separated streams or sheets and as the molten metal enters the molding cavity with considerable velocity it will be driven toward the front end of the cavity adjacent the matrices 15 while the air in such cavity will be free to escape orwill be-foroed rearwardly between the separate Streams of molten metal into the passages 24 of the fillerv block and through the channel 23 of the pot. As the fillin of the molding cavities continues substantially all of the air will be forced therefrom and the cavity will be filled with a solid compact mass of metal. Any excess metal driven into the passages 24 and chan= nel 23 will also find its way into the interior of the pot.

It will thus be seen that the foregoing construction provides an arrangement b which the air will be forced out of the mol ing. cavity during the operation of casting a slug or linotype and the articles will thus be free from the defects which occur when suitable means are not provided for the free escape of the air from the molding cavity. Numerous modifications of the construction described maybe resorted to Without'de-parting from the spirit of the invention as embodied in the appended claims.

Havin thus described the invention what is claime as new and;desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a mechanism of the kind described, a mold having a cavity therein, a pot for containing molten metal having a ,mouth portion provided with an outlet for conducting molten metal from said pot to said cavity, a rib arranged in said outlet and extendingfromthe upper to the lower wall thereof, whereby'molten metal entering said cavity through said outlet is separated into a plurality of streams, said mouth portion'of the pot having a passage for the escape of air from said cavity as molten metal is supplied thereto, the opening from said cavity inlto said passage being arranged in said r1 2. In a mechanism of the kind described a mold having a cavity therein, a pot for containing molten metal provided with an aaeaeee outlet for molten metal, a mouth piece detachably secured to said pot and having an outlet communicating with the outlet in said pot, a filler block formed separately from said mouth pieceand mounted in the outlet 4 f said mouth piece for separating the molten metal into a plurality of streams as it enters said cavity, said filler block having one or more passages therein for conducting air from said cavity as molten metal is supplied thereto.

3. In a. mechanism of the kind described, a mold having a cavity therein, a pot for containing molten metal provided with an outlet for molten metal, a mouthpiece secured to said pot, a filler block mounted in said mouth piece and having on its lower face one or more ribs whereby a plurality of outlets is formed in said mouth piece for the passage of metal to said cavity, said outlets communicating with the outlet of said pot, said filler block having one or more passages extending therethrough, the front end of said passage or passages being positioned in said ribs and being in open communication with said cavity.

, 4. In a mechanism of the kind described, a mold having a cavity therein, a'pot for contaming molten metal, a mouth piece for said pot. having a slot through which molten metal may be supplied to said cavity, said mouth piece also having a triangular recess therein communicating with the aforementioned slot, a filler block mountedin said recess and having on its under surface one o more triangular ribs whereby a plurality of outlets are formed in said mouthpiece communicating with said slot, said filler block having one or more passages extending therethrough and communicating with said ,slot, whereby air may escape from said cavity as molten metal is supplied thereto,

and means for supplying molten metal from said pot through said outlets of the mouth piece to said cavity.

5. In a mechanism of the kind described, a pot for containing molten metal, said pot having a mouth portion provided with apassage through which molten metal may be ejected from the pot, arib arranged in said passage adjacent the outlet thereof whereby the ejected metal is divided into separate streams, and a channel extending through said rib and mouth portion ofthe pot and communicating with the interior of the pot.

6. In a mechanism of the kind described, a pot for containing molten metal, said pot having a mouth portion provided with a narrow elongated passage through which molten metal may be ejected from the pot, a plurality of spaced ribs arran ed in said passage adjacent the outlet thereof, whereby the ejected metal is divided into a plurality of separated streams, and a channel extending through each of said ribs and through the mouth portion of the pot and communieating with the interior of the pot.

7. In a mechanism of the kind described a pot for containing molten metal, a r? movable mouth piece for said pot having a recess and also having an elongated slot in one wall thereof communicating with said recess, a filler block separate from said mouth piece and mounted in the recess thereof, said filler block having a rib formed on one side and also having a passage extending therethrough, one end of said passage being positioned in said rib and terminating adjacent said slot, and means for securing the mouth piece and filler block to the pot.

In testimony whereof I afiix mysignature.

FREDERICK w. LETSCH. 

